Brendan’s Weigh-In

Stats last weigh… 4 days shy of 21 months
21 months: 10.56kg 82.5cm

Stats today… 5 days shy of 23 months.
23 months: 10.88kg 85cms WAHOO!

So for %iles Brendan is….
Length is just above (the dot is right on the top of the line) the 25th %ile!! which is up from just below the 25th %ile.
Adjusted age he is just above the 50th %ile line.

Weight has dropped into the 3rd %ile. He’s now just above 1/2 way between the 3rd and 10th %ile, which is below last weigh.
Adjusted age he is just above the 10th %ile.

Head Circumference…. 48cms, no change since last measured at 20 months.
Puts him just above the 25th %ile for actual age and just under the 50th %ile for adjusted age.

All up I’m happy, he gained and grew what more can you ask of him…

Talia at 18 months

Doesn’t time fly? It’s hard to imagine that a year ago this gorgeous almost-toddler was almost failing to thrive, and I was struggling with post-natal depression as a result.

Now she’s a little above the 10th percentile at 9.33kg and 74cm long, and has made the move into size 0 and size 1 clothing. I pulled out her summer clothing from last year and marvelled how 000 could look so small, when at first we could hardly imagine she would ever be big enough to wear it. We’ve come through winter with only two minor colds, which is fantastic given that she left hospital with chronic lung disease.

Developmentally speaking, Talia still exhibits global delays, but they do not stop her enjoying life immensely. She is nearly walking, having taken her first few steps, but is happier crawling at the moment - including some new crab walking with her bottom in the air. She recently started baby swimming classes (known here as “synchronised splashing”) and hopefully that will help her core body strength as well as giving her confidence around water.

Her favourite activities at the moment are going on the swing in the park, reading books, playing with balls, pegs and balloons, popping bubbles, starting games of peek-a-boo and hanging out with her bath toys. She has recently grasped the concept of putting pieces into a simple jigsaw (no interlocking pieces) but doesn’t have the dexterity to complete it by herself just yet.

Eating is still patchy, with the same problems of “loved it yesterday, hate it today, don’t even bother tomorrow”, but she’s continuing to gain (and grow out of things) despite the fact that she’s almost 100% self fed on finger food and I’m no closer to getting her to eat off a spoon, regardless of whether I’m holding it or she is. On the positive side, we can feed her a little bit of whatever we are having and no longer have to rely on food organised specifically for her (although we still do to some extent), and we’ve moved from formula to cow’s milk in the last month without any problems - in fact she clearly prefers it.

She will sometimes allow us to brush her teeth but it does take quite a bit of persistence. She sleeps well overnight and has one nap in the middle of the day, usually 1-1.5 hours long. I wish she’d sleep longer during the day but no luck so far - her room is probably not dark enough.

All in all, a wonderful, easy-care baby, even if she came without a manual! We feel very fortunate, and very proud.

Australia’s smallest baby is a living miracle

IF all had gone to plan, Elora De Bondi would have celebrated her first birthday days ago.

Instead, the gutsy Melbourne toddler - born almost four months premature and weighing only 319g - reached that milestone in January.

Ever since doctors told mother Adele her only child had “no chance of being born alive”, Elora has been a medical marvel.

Australia’s smallest surviving baby, Elora now tips the scales at 6.5kg and is charging ahead.

A thin feeding tube - and her place in the record books - are the only obvious clues to the 16-month-old’s dramatic start.

She spent her first seven months in the Royal Women’s Hospital. But Elora is now happy and relatively healthy at home in Montmorency.

Once “as long as a ballpoint pen”, she now stretches to 69cm and is not far off taking her first steps.

“She’s a very active and happy girl and very content. She loves playing and crawls like a speeding bullet,” Ms De Bondi said.

Since Elora arrived by emergency caesarean on January 29 last year, she has suffered “almost everything under the sun”, Ms De Bondi said.

Elora survived renal failure, chronic lung disease and many staph infections. Eating and swallowing are difficult because “she’s had so many tubes put down her throat”.

The Royal Women’s Hospital clinical director of nurseries, Sue Jacobs, said it was difficult to predict the quality of life for premature babies.

“Elora’s a bubbly, smiley and happy baby and that’s fabulous, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty about how she will be in the long term,” she said.

Ms De Bondi, 29, is now committed to supporting those who helped save her daughter, including the Royal Women’s Hospital Foundation and Life’s Little Treasures, a support group for Victorian families with premature babies.

To make a donation to the Women’s Foundation or Life’s Little Treasures, visit www.the womens.org.au and www.lifeslittletreasures.org.au.

Editor - Evonne Barry
Article from Herald Sun

Slow progress is better than none

Physiotherapy is one of those emotionally fraught issues for a parent. You know you are doing the right thing by giving your child extra help to reach their physical milestones, but at the same time you still feel fragile and vulnerable because your baby isn’t making progress like everyone else.
When it was first suggested Talia have physio I was ready to burst into tears, even though I knew she was lagging behind her peers. When she made early progress and sat by herself, I was very proud, and assumed we were over that hurdle and wouldn’t need to go back. Unfortunately a few months later the original prognosis came back to haunt us - her development was very patchy and would only lead to frustration as she matured mentally but was trapped physically. She could sit all day like a buddha, surrounded by toys, but nothing on earth would persuade her move from where she sat. If a toy was out of reach, so be it. Shortly after her birthday four weeks ago we resumed one-to-one physio sessions at the hospital to help Talia develop the skills she needs to be able to reach, turn, crawl, stand and eventually walk.

Two sessions of physio (plus plenty of practice at home) later, Talia has steadily improved her abilities, and now does things other babies (and their parents) take for granted, but which were entirely new for her: playing with a toy using both hands on the same side of her body; turning to the side over her knees and raising her bottom off the ground; moving her body so she is on “all fours” (although she usually slips down onto her tummy); turning and reaching and then bringing herself back to a sitting position; pulling herself up to standing while holding my hands. With help she can put weight on her knees and will occasionally start rocking in a way which some babies do before starting to crawl.

Today I went proudly to the monthly group physio session, knowing that Talia would be surrounded by ex-24 weekers who are crawling like Olympic champions but glad at least that she no longer spends these sessions just lying on a mat crying, and hopeful that she might have crept up a little on the development chart. (Yes they have percentile charts for development too, not just height, weight and head circumference!)

The physiotherapist who saw us was very pleased with her progress - but regretfully showed me that Talia has in fact slipped lower on her development chart due to the very erratic nature of her progress. I am making up an example here, but apparently most babies develop skill A (like rolling) before skill B (like sitting) before skill C (like pulling themselves up on furniture) before skill D (like standing confidently with support). Talia has decided to do B before A, and D without C. So from the physiotherapist’s perspective, she still has a long way to go. In contrast, my mother has been overseas since we started the extra sessions and will no doubt be amazed to see how far Talia has come in 5 weeks.

The hospital provides physiotherapy only until their NICU graduates are 12 months corrected, which in our case is only 2 months away. So it will be interesting to see how much more progress we can make in the next 8 weeks, before we are out on our own.

Infant Massage - Healthy Preemie Growth Rates

By Andrew Exon

Infant Massage has found its own niche in the medical industry and it promotes healthy growth of premature and full-term infants. Low birth weight and bone mineralization are both common problems of premature infants that lead to many other related health complications.

Recent studies have found that regular infant massage performed by a certified masseuse while the baby is in the hospital have aided in the early weight gain necessary for the baby to flourish. The Touch Research Institute of Miami School of Medicine conducted one study on premature infants where one group received a massage from a professional masseuse and the second group received the regular neonatal infant care. They found the infants who were recipients of the massage while in the NICU gained from 21 to 47 percent more weight than the infants in the control group.

The reason for this increased weight gain is linked to the massage stimulating pressure receptors, primarily found in the hands, feet, and lower back. When these receptors are stimulated it slows the heart rate and blood pressure. When these are slowed it stimulates growth hormones.

Another study done at George Washington University found that bone mineralization in premature infants also increased with the use of infant massage. Both groups received physical activity and the same amount of nutrients. The massage group received gentle massages on their head, face, neck, shoulders, back, legs, feet, and arms. The biomarkers used to study bone mineralization were C terminal procollagen peptide (PICP), urine pryidinolin (urine Pyd), serum calcium, alkaline phosphates, and parathyroid hormone(PTH). They found that in the massage group levels of PICP and PTH were both significantly greater that levels found in the control group. Each group had increased levels of urine Pyd and neither group had a significant change in the serum calcium or alkaline phosphates.

Infant Massage is making its mark in the professional medical field as a natural method to promote preemies to better health through increased weight gain quicker and greater bone mineralization.

For more information about [http://www.free-body-massage.info]Massage Therapy go to [http://www.free-body-massage.info]www.free-body-massage.info.

By A. Exon [http://www.free-body-massage.info]www.free-body-massage.info.

Andrew is a Marriage, Family, and Human Development graduate who enjoys swing dancing, camping, fly-fishing, and other recreational sports which provide physical excercise and relaxation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Exon http://EzineArticles.com/?Infant-Massage—Healthy-Preemie-Growth-Rates&id=533569

Our 8 month (corrected) check up

Today was my birthday (old, even older than when I was pregnant and didn’t people go on about “advanced maternal age” even then!) and also the date of Talia’s 8 month check up.

As before our four month check up, we were sent a questionnaire to complete in advance of the appointment. In contrast to the previous time, we were delighted to be able to tick “yes” to many of the questions, including almost all of those relating to fine motor skills. She can pick up items as small as a sultana. There were still a few “not yet”s, including two of the gross motor skills - rolling and crawling. However we are much less worried about Talia’s development overall than we were 4 months ago, when she was clearly showing delays in many areas.

The actual meeting with the paediatrician was relatively short, and he told us that he considered all her development to be within normal ranges, with the possible exception of her speech development. Talia babbles happily, but doesn’t use many consonants. It might be that she is not hearing everything clearly, so he arranged for us to see an audiologist to double check Talia’s hearing. Of course it might just be that she is taking her own time - the same way she has been setting her own timeline for other milestones.

In the waiting room we met up with Talia’s boyfriend Reuben who was born the same day, at a similar gestation. He has always been bigger, and now at 8 months corrected he is around 10kg, has been crawling for weeks and is already cruising the furniture. In fact he is doing better than the full term babies in my mothers group who are the same age!

Talia herself is almost 7kg - 6960g to be exact, and nudging the 10th percentile. Four months ago she was only about 4.5kg and so far below the 3rd percentile that I was stressing myself into a state of depression. Thank goodness times have changed and all for the better. Her length is a little below the 10th percentile, although with the amount of wriggling going on I’d be amazed if they actually took a correct measurement. Most amazing though, was the head circumference. This has always been bigger than anything else, but when I put it on the chart after we returned home I couldn’t believe it - 90th percentile, up from less than the 75th. I guess those brains will come in handy, especially if she turns out to be as bad at sport as her parents.

As I’m writing this post it’s the end of the day and I’ve blown out a candle and made a birthday wish - to see my daughter continue to grow happily and healthily, and tick off all those boxes as “yes” eventually.

Hip hip, hooray!

Sitting for the first time at six months corrected!

At least once a month I write a post about Talia’s development, or lack thereof, and some days it has been a struggle to stay positive when her milestones are delayed. So I am very pleased to announce that this month, we have made progress.

Following a recommendation from the hospital physiotherapists, we have been putting more time into helping Talia sit. I started by sitting her up in a sturdy cardboard box, and more recently bought her a second-hand Bumbo seat, from where she can watch me hanging out laundry or pottering in the kitchen. I wedge her between cushions, toys and my legs, so that she can sit up and play without any fear of hurting herself when her balance fails and she pitches sideways or backwards. Or occasionally forewards, her head curving in a slow and graceful arc which ends as she kisses the carpet.

Up until last night, Talia always needed the support of an adult finger in her hand, or a leg behind the small of her back. Then, we noticed that she seemed to be leaning forward almost confidently, and we moved back, leaving space behind her. And she stayed sitting! She played with her toys, waved her arms around and generally behaved like someone who has been sitting for months, not minutes.

My husband and I were as excited as if Christmas had come already. I grabbed my camera and took a dozen or so photos - most of which were blurred due to Talia waving her arms or moving her head. Maybe she was doing a happy dance too!

Today Talia is exactly nine months old, six months corrected. Halfway through one of the most amazing developmental years of her life, and we are as proud as parents can be.

18 Month Assessment For Premature Baby

When we were visiting Ronan’s paedatrician last week he reminded me that i had to fill out an 18 month assessment form. The form wasn’t to be filled out until Ronan reached 18 months (corrected) because otherwise the assessment wouldn’t have been fairly marked.

Whilst going through the questionaire and everytime i ticked “no” to the questions my fear of more delays reared. The questions were along the lines of;

• When putting a crayon in your child’s hand and a piece of paper in front of them do they put the crayon tip on the paper (no - he tries to eat it)

• Does your child try to offer their reflection in a mirror the toy they are holding (no - he smiles at himself then looks at me)

• Does he use words put together BUT (not common words ie: no more, where’s dad, all gone), (they are the sort of things he says so maybe he doesn’t know how to speak!)

• Does your child go and get a toy or object when told to (nope - he can’t even walk let alone go and get a toy for me but he did hand me my towel after a shower)

It will be interesting to see the results. Because of the lack of “yes” responses to the questions i am sure he will have to have speech therapy, brain therapy, child therapy ALL dam therapies because he is slow!! Whilst questionaires are great so professionals can assess where a child is, being a parent of an ex premature baby i am now worried about there being a major problem. One thing with a questionaire is that it asks the questions about things your child should be doing but it doesn’t cover questions of what they actually are doing so whilst you may feel that your child is ahead in some things i now feel that Ronan is far more behind than the average 18 month old so the stress and worry has kicked in again. I wonder if premmie parents ever get a break from worrying?

My Lil Premmie Finally Walked

After countless hours and months of frustration my little man walked.

We have had a long and hard battle with Ronan when it comes to his milestone delays. At 6 months corrected we were told that he needed physiotherapy. This really upset me and i felt the guilt flood back to when he was born prematurely. The guilt of Ronan being born so early took quite a long time to get over so to now be told that our child was physically challenged really took the cake.

To see him roll, crawl, stand up were such proud moments for us even though they were very delayed. I know each parent is shocked, suprised and overjoyed when their full term babies reach a milestone, then you can only imagine the elation a parent of a premature baby must feel.

I am still in a state of disbelief but Ronan walked about 10 steps from the door to me last week. Ronan has been taking little “risks” by walking from lounge to lounge by taking 1 step without support so this is the first time he has ever taken the leap!! Talk about lets get in as many as we can in one go!! He was SO excited that he was giggling.

To come from an ex 27 week premature journey to finally seeing your toddler start making the move towards walking is an overpowering feeling. Hopefully in a few years to come we will be able to turn around and say “what milestone delay”?

Advised to start physiotherapy

Last Thursday we went to our monthly group physio appointment. The hospital run these sessions largely as a screening exercise to check that all their NICU graduates are progressing normally. It is also a good way to catch up with other mothers and babies, some of whom I met when Talia was in the NICU.

At each session, the staff deal with each baby in turn. We were one of the last to be seen, and I put Talia down on a mat and offered her some toys while we were waiting. She immediately started crying. I don’t know whether it is the lights or the smell or what, but she transforms from a placid, happy baby into a wailing, uncooperative mess every time we go. I also find these visits stressful, partly because of Talia’s reactions, and partly because it becomes ever clearer how far behind she is falling compared to babies of similar corrected age.

The first thing I am asked is “So, what does she do?” It’s a question that almost reduces me to tears, because I want to focus on the positives - how much she has grown recently, how much better she is sleeping, how her smile lights up the whole room, how she brings so much happiness to everyone who loves her.

But I know what sort of things they are asking about, and compared to the other babies there, she doesn’t do very much. She is 5.5 months corrected (8.5 months actual) and shows no signs of wanting to roll yet. She doesn’t automatically reach for and play with toys, or bring her hands together often, and she doesn’t play with her feet at all. To make it worse, she becomes so distressed in the physiotherapy room that I can’t even get her to show them how much better she is at tummy time these days.

In the back of my head there is always a nagging fear: what if there is a medical condition underlying her slow development? At Thursday’s session I am finally brave enough to ask this question to the physiotherapist. Thankfully she does not see any indications of cerebral palsy at this stage, but tells me she feels Talia would benefit from one-on-one sessions in addition to the group sessions, starting next month. As she explained it to me, without some assistance to develop her gross motor skills, at some point Talia will become frustrated because mentally she wants to progress but physically she is not capable.

Back home after the session, Talia returns to her calm, sunny disposition and waggles an arm at me in an unco-ordinated fashion, almost as if she is telling me to take it easy and not worry so much.

Hey, even Einstein was a late developer, and he turned out all right.

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